Fire-alarm



(No Model.)

G. W. ULMER.

FIRE ALARM.

Patented Oct. 1,8, 1881.

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Unire Tatras PATENT Garrone.

GUSTAV W. ULMER, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,369, dated October18, 1881.

Application led February 14, 1881. (No model.)

To all 'whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GUSTAV W ULMER, of Newton, in the county of Middlesexand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements inFire-Alarm Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to pneumatic lirealarm signaling apparatus; andthe invention has for its object to adapt a horn or trumpet adapted tobe operated by compressed air, similar to those now in use for fogalarms or signals, to the purpose of a tire-alarm; and the inventionconsists, as a whole, in the combination ot' a horn or trumpet adaptedto be operated by a blast of air, and provided with a self-closin gvalve to control the admission of air thereto, mechanism for supplyingcompressed air to the trumpet, and a-let-oi' mechanism capable of beingcontrolled from a distance to open the valve ofthe trumpet.

The invention also has for its object to provide certain improvements ina hydraulic motor for operating the air-compressing mechanism,wherebytheoperation ot' said mechanism, which is suspendedwhen the column of airbetween the compressing mechanism and the trumpet is compressed to thenecessary degree, is enabled to be immediately resumed when thecompression of said column is relieved bythe escape of a portion of theair to operate the trumpet; and to this end the invention consists inthe combination, with a horn or trumpet having a self-closing valve,mechanism controlled from a distance to open the valve, and anair-compressor to force air to the trumpet, of a primary hydraulic motorfor operating the compressor and a secondary hydraulic motor.y wherebythe prompt and positive action ot' the slide-valve of the primary motoris secured and one of the supply-ports ot' said valve kept constantlyopen, so that the prime motor is ready forimmediate operation wheneverthe pressure of the column of air between the compressor and the trumpetis relieved.

In carrying out my invention I make use ot' the apparatus andmechanismwhich l will now proceed to specifically describe and claim,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecitication, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of apparatusembodying my invention. Fig.2 represents a section on line z z, Fig. 1,looking toward the hydraulic cylinder. Fig. 3 represents averticalsection through the valve-chest of said cylinder. Fig. 4 represents atransverse section through the valve-chest of the secondary hydraulicmotor, exhibiting also a side elevation ot' the cylinder of' said motor.Fig. 5 represents a section on line :c a', Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents anelevation of the valve ot' said motor. Fig. 7 represents a section online y y, Fig. 6; Fig. S., a similar section on line y' y', Fig. 6.Figs. 9 and l0 represent elevations of the same valve turned to theright and left, respectively. Fig. 1l represents a perspective view ofthe electrical mechanism for operating the valve of the trumpet. Fig. 12represents a vertical section, enlarged, of the base ot' the trumpet,showing the trumpet-valve.

In all the foregoing figures the same letters refer to the same parts.

In the drawings,T is a horn ortrumpet similar to those in use in theordinary fog alarm apparatus, connected with a compressed-air reservoir,It, interposed between the horn andthe cylinderB of an air-compressor,adapted to supply the reservoirR with compressed air through the pipe yentering each end ot' the cylinder B, and provided with valves o o.

l? is a piston-rod common to the cylinder B and to the cylinder A of ahydraulic motor, and having proper pistons at each end working in saidcylinders. The water-cylinder A is supplied with water through the pipea', connected with the cylinder by the ports p p, b being theexhaust-pipe of said cylinder and G the valve-chest, an ordinary Dslide-valve being used. In operation the water enters each end ofthecylinderAalternately as steam enters the cylinder of an ordinaryhorizontal engine, thus effecting the movement of the piston-rod P and acorresponding movement of the piston of the air-cylinderB, attached tosaid piston-rod, the apparatus acting as aprimary hydraulic motor toforce air from the cylinder B and compress the same within the reservoirR. In the drawings the piston-rod P is moving to the left, as indicatedby the arrow, Fig. 1, the water entering the end h2 of the cylinder Aand exhausting from the end h.

'ater under pressure, unlike steam, possesses no elasticity, and as itis necessary for the effective operation of the apparatus embodied in myinvention that the exhaust and supply ports of the cylinder A be openedquickly, l operate the slide-valve d by means of a secondary hydraulicmotor or cut-ot` device consisting of a c) linder, D, connected to thechest C and having a piston, fi, connected with the slide-valve d by thevalverod 1'.

Projecting from one side of the cylinder D is a valve-chest, D', havingon its face supplyports 1 and 2 and an exhaustport, 3. The port 1 isconnected with one end of the cylinder D by a passage, a, and the port 2with the other end of said cylinder by a passage, b. The. exhaust-port 3is connected with the exhaustpipe b' of the cylinder A by means of thewastepipe b2. Water is supplied to the cylinder D hy the pipe a3, thevalvechest D' being always full of water.

V is a pivoted valve, adapted to be rotated to rightand let'talternately by means ofa crank, I, at the outer extremity of the chestD'.

Attached to the crank l is a rod, e, having adjustable dogs ff' at eachend, respectively.

The piston-rod P has rigidly attached to it, midway between thecylinders A and B, a double-arm lever, L. The lower arm of the lever Lslides upon a horizontal guide-rod, m, acting to steady the lever andprevent 1t from turning. The upper arm slides upon the rod e, whose dogsff' are so adjusted that when the piston-rod and arm of the lever L arenearing the end of a stroke the arm of the lever will strike a dog andcarry the rod e with it, and thus swing the lever l and rotate the valveV.

The valve V has upon its face three ports near its periphery, l', 2',and 3', the central port, 3', heilig connected by a passage, K, with thecenter ofthe valve 4. The face ofthe valve V is so adjusted in relation'to its seat in the chest D that when port l' of the valve is oppositeport 1 of the seat the exhaust-port 3' of the valve will be oppositeport 2 of the seat, so that a supply ot' water will pass from the chestD' through port 1' of valve and port l of seat into one end of thecylinder D, and exhaust-water from the other end of said cylinder willpass through port 2 of the seat and port 3' of the valve. The operationis exactly similar, except reversed, when the port 2 of valve isopposite port 2 of seat. The central opening, 4, of the valve beingalways coincident with the opening 3 of the valve-seat, it will be seenthat at either end of the stroke of the piston t'. the exhaust-waterpasses through port 3' and opening et of the valve and opening 3 of thevalveseat, down the passage c2 (see Fig. 5) into the waste-pipe b2 andexhaustpipe b.

By the operation ofthe valve V, as described, movement of the piston t'is secured for operating the slide-val ve d. This mode of operating thevalve d by means of a secondary motor differs essentially from aneccentric-valve motion, whereby the valve d moves constantly with thepiston P. By my improvement, as described, the valve l is independent ofthe main cylinder A and its piston, in so far as the piston P does notdirectly connect to or move it. Although the primary impulse or force isderived from said pistou P, the cut-od' afterward is madeindej'iendently and in independent time. This mode of operating the mainslide-valve ot' hydraulic motors is an important and valuableimprovement over any valve motion with which I am acquainted, and itsapplication to the apparatus embodying my invention secures the promptaction of the valve d and renders it possible to keep one of thesupply-portsp p' of the cylinder A constantly open, for the purposehereinafter set t'orth.

E is a pipe, (in connection with the supplypipe in this case,)containing a device for maintaining' the valve d in equilibrium, saiddevice consisting of a lever, n, connected to the valve d by a pinacting in an adjusting-slot, s', so as to enable the lever a to swingfreely. The opposite end of the lever n is jointed to the rod o, havingupon it the piston t. The rod o has a bearing in the perforated plate o'and in the upper end, o2, of the pipe E. C' is an air-chamber, all theforegoing parts being so adjusted that when the valve d moves, the levern, connected with the piston o, imparts movement to the piston t, and sotends to compress the air within the chamber C', this pressure reactingon the valve d, and so maintaining it in equilibrium.

The valve of the trumpet T may be operated by any suitable mechanismadapted to be controlled from a distant point. In Fig.11 I have shown anelectrical escapement for operating said valve. In said figure, M is anelectro-magnet connected in a battery or magneto circuit, a4 being thearmature of said magnet, secured to the vibrating lever a5. F F is at'rame, on which are mounted shafts h k q q'. h, k, and q are connectedby gears, as shown, the shaft q bearing a drum which sustains a weight,W, said weight, when unobstructed, operating to rotate the shafts q, k,and h.' On the shaft h is a disk, h3, having projecting from its face apin or block, c. Upon the shaft q' is a triplearm lever, 0' d' e',capable of rotating on said shalt. The arm c' normally rests in a notch,t', in the lever a5. The arm d' rests normally against the pin e of thedisk h3 and prevents the shafts h k q from rotating. The arm e' reachesunder a cam, 5, on the shaft k. At the opposite end of the shaft q', andfree to rotate upon it, is a double-arm lever, 7 8. The arm 8,projectingupwardly,is drawn to a normal position by a spring, s, so thatthe lower arm, 7, will restin the hollow ofthe cam u the shaft k.

The mechanism operates as follows: A pulsation or momentary current ofelectricity being sent through the circuit by pressing a. key orotherwise, the armature and lever a a5 are drawn to the magnet M,releasing arm c', which is thereupon drawn downwardly bya spring, s2,thus throwing up the arm d' and permitting the disk h3 and shaft h to berotated by the IOO IIO

IIS

weight W. The current being momentary, the armature and leverimmediately drop away from the magnet, and the arm c' is thrown up andlocks into its notch t by means of the cam 5 on the shaft k, rotating insuch time as to throw down the arm e, and thus cause the arm d to catchthe pin c and stop the rotation of the disk h3. During the time theshafts h k g are rotating the cam 6, also rotating, throws down the arm7 of the double lever, thus throwing forward arm 8. A wire or cord, 9,connects the arm8 with the leveil g, attached to the valve e2 ot' thetrumpet, and so opens the said valve and allows a blast to be sounded onthe trumpet. When the electrical mechanism just described returns toitsnormal position the valve o2 is closed.

I do not confine myself' to an electrical escapement just described, asany form of escapement or any mechanism capable of being controlled froma distant point is equally applicable for the purpose of my invention.

The valve c2 operates as follows: The lever g is attached to a shaft,g', having thereon a cam, g3. When the lever is lifted the cam isrotated and acts to depress and so open the valve, at the same timecompressing the spring s3. When the pressure of the cam is removed thevalve is closed by the spring s3 returning to its normal position.Within the trumpet 'l I place a reed or reeds, R', for the purpose ofregulating` the tone of the blast sounded on the trumpet. When more thanone reed are employed a composite tone may be given to said blasts.

The operation of my invention as a wholeis as follows: Water beingintroduced into the cylinders Aand D through the supply-pipes a a3, thepiston P of the prime motor is made to force air from the cylinder B andcompress the same within the reservoir R in sufficient amount andpressure to operate the trumpet. The piston P is then brought to rest.By the action of the secondary motor D regulating the valve (I, aspreviously described, the promptJ operation of said valve is secured,and when the piston P is brought to rest one of the supply-ports of thecylinder A is leftopen. When it is required to give an alarm the trumpetis blown, air being admitted thereto from the reservoir R through thevalve o2, operated by means of the electrical mechanism previouslydescribed. The pressure of the column of air between the reservoir R andthe air-compressing cylinder B being relieved by the escape of airthrough the valve e2 in blowing the trumpet, the piston P immediatelybegins to operate, the primary motor being ready for instant action, andsufficient compressed air is forced into the reservoir R to carry thepressure of the air in said reservoir back to the point at which it washeld previous to giving the alarm, when the piston P is again brought torest, and thus the apparatus is made ready for sounding another alarm.

The advantages of my invention for lirealarm purposes will be apparent,inasmuch as the apparatus is constantly ready for operation, and after ablast or series of blasts upon the trumpet the apparatus returnsautomatically to an operative condition.

My invention is applicable for use in a rcalarm-signal circuit for townsand cities in place of bells, or whereverit is inexpedient orinconvenient to use bells.

I do not restrict myself to the above-described method of compressingair by mechanical means, as it would be equally applicable to thepurposeof myinvention to compress air by a chemical process analogous tothat employed in the ordinary chemical fire-extinguishing apparatus,wherein certain chemical constituents are prepared, readyfor mixing atany desired moment, and when so mixed expand, and thus may be made tocompress air within the reservoir R in suflcientvolume to produce blastsupon the trumpet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a frealarm,the combination of ahorn or trumpet adapted to beoperated by a blast of air and provided with a self-closin g valve tocontrol the admission of air thereto, mechanism, substantially asdescribed, for supplying compressed air to the trumpet, and a let-ofmechanism, substantially such as described, and capable of beingcontrolled froma distant point to open the valve of the trumpet, as setforth.

2. In afire alarm,thecombination of the following elements, viz: first,a horn or trumpet having a self-closing valve; secondly, mechanism,substantially such as described,capableof being controlled from adistance to open the valve; thirdly, an air-compressor adapted to forceair to the trumpet; fourthly, a primary hydraulic motor for operatingthe compressor, said motor being composed of a cylinder having portspp,a piston having a rod, P, connected with the compressor,and aslide-valve. d, to regulate the passage of water to the cylinder throughthe ports pp; and,fifthly, a secondary hydraulic motorhaving its pistonconnected with the slide-valve d and its valve V adapted to be operatedby attachments of the piston-rod P to shift the slide-valve d before thecompletion of each stroke of the piston of the primary motor, wherebythe prompt and positive operation of the slide-valve d is secured andone of the ports pp is always kept open, so that the primary motor isready for operation whenever the air between the compressor and thetrumpet is decreased by the escape of such air to operate the trumpet,as set forth.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification, in thepresen ce of two subscribing witnesses, this 7th day of February,

GUSTAV W. ULMER. Witnesses:

EDWIN O. CHILDS, HENRY L. BIxBY.

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